Abstract:
A control method for a high-pressure fuel pump comprising a plurality of pump elements (17), each of which comprises a plunger (10) having a pumping stroke during which fuel within a pump chamber (6) is pressurised and a filling stroke during which fuel is supplied to the pump chamber (6) for pressurisation, and a valve (18) for controlling fuel flow into and/or out of the pump chamber (6). The high-pressure fuel pump has a maximum pump capacity corresponding to all of the pump elements pumping at maximum capacity. The method comprises reducing the pump capacity of the high-pressure fuel pump by reducing the pump duty of at least one of the pump elements to less than its maximum capacity.